A group for artists and non-artists alike: The NGU art club
Colby Craig, Staff Writer
Making art is no easy task, especially for those who are not confident in their own abilities. Callie Meyerholtz, junior studio arts major, believes that art should be accessible by all people. Meyerholtz, alongside fellow junior studio arts major Laura Cervantez, decided to revitalize the NGU art club and make it a fun way to introduce people to different art forms.
NGU had an art club before Meyerholtz and Cervantez came along, but the meetings were more professional than fun. According to Cervantez, the art club would meet once a week to discuss projects without really doing anything, and it was not her idea of an art club.
“Our art professors have said that the art club has gone up and down over the years. We had not experienced an ‘up’ year and wanted to make that happen,” Meyerholtz said.
These new leaders had a dream to make a club where both majors and non-majors could come together and have fun through the creation of art.
To enhance the art club, they decided to plan events rather than meetings where the members could participate in art games, work on personal projects and participate in movie nights. Cervantes wanted to make the club open ended so that anyone may show up whenever they are available rather than feel pressured to attend regular meetings.
Some of the events from last semester included watercolor painting outside, a game night, a joint meeting with the psychology club where the effect of art on the human mind was discussed and working with ceramics.
One of the biggest events held was the ceramics event. The group got together and made ceramic pottery, which they were able to take home afterwards. A lot of people were really looking forward to that specific event, and there were a lot of participants because of that.
Meyerholtz said, “Ceramics was a decent amount of work outside of the singular event for us as leaders, but it was very rewarding to see people have such a good time and be so excited to get their finished pieces back.”
Because the ceramics event was such a success, many participants asked for the event to make a return this semester.
Cervantez stressed that anyone is welcome, that they’re not a club meant for just artists but to encourage the arts on campus. The art club does not have “members” like traditional clubs. There is always an open invitation to anyone to join in from the leaders themselves.
For students interested in attending upcoming events, a couple of dates to keep in mind are February 11 at 7 p.m. where the group will be scrapbooking, and February 21 at 3 p.m. where there will be a jewelry-making event. Both events will take place in Runion 201.
The club’s events are all announced on their Instagram @nguartclub.
